Jalen amazinggggg………view

Jalen amazinggggg………view

 

Jalen Brunson’s exciting offseason just got even more epic.

 

On Monday, the newly anointed Knicks captain and wife Ali Brunson announced the birth of their first child, who arrived on July 31.

 

In the black-and-white snap shared on Instagram, a baby can be seen holding what appears to be Brunson’s finger, with the NBA All-Star writing, “7/31/24 – Jordyn James Brunson,” along with pink heart emojis.The questions keep coming.

 

Who is the New York Knicks’ true No. 2 option? How will this season’s rotation work out? How do rival front offices value Julius Randle?

 

You asked. I’ve got answers.

 

Part 1 of this mailbag was published last week. Here is Part 2:

 

(Questions have been edited for brevity and c— Peter G.

 

Ready yourself for Robin by committee — and I’m not sure there is anything wrong with that.

 

If all goes correctly with the Knicks, Randle will be the team’s No. 2 option. He’ll be the second-leading scorer and will make a run at leading the team in assists. But if we’re talking late-game takeovers, whoever grabs control (if it’s not Brunson) should do so less because of a hierarchy and more because of how a defense is guarding the Knicks.

 

Crunchtime will be Brunson’s, no different than in years past. But on some nights, he might not have it. On others, he may jog up the court with flames on his back, hot enough that defenses bend toward him every possession to get the basketball out of his hands. On those evenings, the Knicks might need another perimeter player to initiate the offense. That could be Mikal Bridges’ chance to stand out. On others, like if a defense is blitzing Brunson in pick-and-rolls, sending two defenders in his direction when a teammate sets a screen for him, it may be Randle’s turn.

 

Randle could jump into the role Isaiah Hartenstein played so effectively a season ago, fielding dump-offs from Brunson and heading downhill with three teammates and only three defenders in front of him. That’s an advantage for the Knicks. If Randle is playing center, meaning Mitchell Robinson is not present to clog up the middle, an action like this becomes even more dangerous than the ones with Hartenstein, considering Randle’s All-Star ball skills and the top-notch shooters that could surround himlarity.)